Current Issue

Current Issue

HISTORY OF HOMESCHOOLING IN IDAHO

We as homeschoolers certainly know how to count our blessings. I think one of the reasons many of us homeschool is because we so appreciate the blessing of our children, and we want to be good stewards of this extraordinary gift. However, I do think those of us newer to homeschooling (newer being those of us who didn’t homeschool in the 1990’s or earlier) are completely unaware of some of the blessings and freedoms we enjoy homeschooling in Idaho. A lot has happened to guarantee us these freedoms. Let’s explore some of these little-known facts together.

DID YOU KNOW . . .

There is no mention of education in the constitution.

I DID NOT REALIZE . . .

Homeschooling was quite common in the U.S. until the 19th century. What changed?

I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT . . .

The Elementary and Secondary School Act did not become law until the late date of 1965.

YOU MIGHT HAVE KNOWN THAT . . .

The “renaissance” of homeschooling began in the 1970’s and 1980’s as parents began to question public school education. The encouragement of these “pioneer” homeschoolers came from authors like Dr. Raymond Moore and John Holt.

I WAS ANGERED WHEN I READ . . .

In the dark ages of homeschooling, officials went so far as to require some homeschoolers to comply with state safety regulations for public buildings. Can you say OVERREACH!

I HAD NO IDEA HOW DARK THIS TIME WAS!

A few early homeschool families in Idaho were put in jail for homeschooling. This injustice was even enforced on homeschooling mothers who were nursing their infant children. Their children were placed in foster care. At the time, newspapers claimed these families, “Brought it on themselves.” Dark Ages of Homeschooling INDEED!

THIS BLEW MY MIND . . .

The judge over the case said he didn’t know a, “Finer, more upstanding, honest, productive family in the community.” We as homeschoolers can quickly forget how unfair these early injustices were, especially those of us who didn’t homeschool through this time.

I COULDN’T BELIEVE . . .

The early Idaho compulsory school law gave great power to the local school district. During this time homeschoolers were at the mercy of their local school district. Many moved to “friendlier” school districts to avoid the more “aggressive” ones.

I WAS RELIEVED TO READ THAT . . .

In 1990 a District Juvenile Court judge ruled on a case that began to change the tide of this hostility towards homeschoolers. The judge ruled that, “Unless the prosecutors had substantive evidence that kids were not being educated, the parents were not guilty of educational neglect.” This was a step in the right direction!

HAVE YOU HEARD. . .

There is so much more to this story! You can read how the Idaho compulsory school attendance law changed, how organizations like ICHE and CHOIS came into existence, and what your rights are today. This is just a taste of the amazing story!

Share It!

View Online Magazine

CHOIS offers our readers an online version of CHOIS Connection, the magazine we publish quarterly. To view the magazine online, Click the Magazine Cover Above! To view older magazines, jump over to our Archive Page on the website, and you can view online our past issues of CHOIS Connection.

Committed to helping parents fulfill their God-given right and responsibility to educate their own children.